1
as in cuddling
to touch one another with the lips as a sign of love
it's traditional for couples to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmastime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in brushing
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
a gentle breeze kissing the water's surface
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kissing
Among a series of photos the Rare Beauty founder shared on Instagram was one of her kissing Blanco and his head in her lap.
—
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
This could also have served as Brittany Snow’s girl kissing audition for The Hunting Wives.
—James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
Earlier this week, DeuxMoi uploaded photos of Outer Banks star Cline and Constantine-Alexios, 26, kissing and spending time together at the restaurant.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Aside from the faintest splash of blush on her cheeks, Bryant’s base was clean and even-toned; highlighter kissing only the tip of her nose and under her eyes.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
The post featured a photo of the two of them kissing while visiting Roden Crater, an art installation in Arizona.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2025
But if the bullpen can't get its act together by October, the Dodgers will soon be kissing their chances at a repeat championship goodbye.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Conrad gets up and touches the necklace before kissing her.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Hudson added a large white heart to the bottom of the pic, as well as a GIF of two kissing swans.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
This could also have served as Brittany Snow’s girl kissing audition for The Hunting Wives.
—James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
Earlier this week, DeuxMoi uploaded photos of Outer Banks star Cline and Constantine-Alexios, 26, kissing and spending time together at the restaurant.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Aside from the faintest splash of blush on her cheeks, Bryant’s base was clean and even-toned; highlighter kissing only the tip of her nose and under her eyes.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
The post featured a photo of the two of them kissing while visiting Roden Crater, an art installation in Arizona.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2025
But if the bullpen can't get its act together by October, the Dodgers will soon be kissing their chances at a repeat championship goodbye.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Conrad gets up and touches the necklace before kissing her.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Hudson added a large white heart to the bottom of the pic, as well as a GIF of two kissing swans.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kissing
Verb
-
The couple celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary on June 25, 2025, and Kidman honored the occasion by posting a photo of them cuddling up together.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Footwear ranged from sexy stilettos to fuzzy slippers, and the bag of choice was soft and furry, perfect for cuddling up after a night out.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Touching the ancient stones and brushing off ceramics and coins untouched for nearly two thousand years made that world come vividly alive.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Stock indexes closed higher Monday, brushing off worries that mass layoffs could hit consumer spending or that a shutdown would preempt the release of Friday’s September jobs report.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In photos of the pair smooching at midnight, fans quickly recognized the iconic architecture, namely the gold, arching ceilings.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Any area where people are touching the same surfaces can be a risk, and people can get infected from touching items in those areas.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The broad market index started the day modestly higher, touching a new all-time intraday high, before fizzling a bit and trading near the flatline.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After the screening, video circulated online of the True Blood alum, wearing a white Magliano T-shirt with an image of a boot hovering over a man's outstretched tongue, hugging Pascal and kissing him on the cheek while the cast received a standing ovation at the screening.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
-
She was also seen hugging the Italian fashion designer and whispering into his ear.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Keep reading to see the deals worth snuggling up to with prices starting at just $10.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Winter is prime time for snuggling up in bed, and the blur of frosty, lazy days in between Christmas and New Years are prime time for bed rotting.—
Brandi Fuller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kissing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kissing. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share